Fans out for the Iron Bowl

TUSCALOOSA | Crimson Tide football fans tried to stay focused on Auburn before Saturday’s Iron Bowl, but some sounded like the lyrics to the old Ray Charles song: They had Georgia on their mind.

By Bethany BlairSpecial to the Tuscaloosa News

TUSCALOOSA | Crimson Tide football fans tried to stay focused on Auburn before Saturday’s Iron Bowl, but some sounded like the lyrics to the old Ray Charles song: They had Georgia on their mind.Georgia, as in the Bulldogs. Georgia, as in the dome where the SEC Championship Game will be played Dec. 1. And some fans couldn’t keep visions of leprechauns, as in the mascot of the top-ranked Notre Dame team, from dancing in their heads.“I’m not too concerned about today’s game, to be honest,” said lifelong Alabama fan Sam Austin. “It shouldn’t be much of a game, but as a Bama fan, I like that.”As an “old school” Alabama fan, Austin said he hopes the Tide plays Notre Dame for the national championship, a matchup that hasn’t occurred since Alabama’s 24-23 Sugar Bowl loss to the Fighting Irish in 1973.But visions of games to come didn’t stop thousands of Alabama and Auburn fans from descending on the Quad to celebrate their rivalry. Puddles of orange and blue could still be seen among the swells of crimson and white as portable generators hummed and burgers sizzled.Everyone seemed to be getting along. But behind the beer and brats, the SEC’s fiercest rivalry still loomed.“I’m really hoping we can stick it to them today,” said Linda McWilliams. “Last time the Iron Bowl was in Tuscaloosa they beat us, so I hope we can get back at them this year.”Self-proclaimed “most ridiculous Alabama fan ever” Jake Shepard said that although Auburn’s chances of winning seemed slim, Alabama shouldn’t let its guard down come kick-off. “Auburn’s whole reason for existing is to be a stumbling block for us,” he said. “Winning national championships is our main focus, but their main focus is to stop us from getting there.”Shepard described the Iron Bowl as a “special day” at Bryant-Denny Stadium. The competitive atmosphere is thick, and it’s OK to become mortal enemies with your neighboring tailgaters. “The history of the two schools and the passion we have for football is what makes this rivalry,” he said. “It’s not just an athletic competition, it’s attached to a higher learning institution, and that’s definitely something we can be proud of here in Alabama.”Although the Quad was booming with activity Saturday afternoon, nowhere else was this intense rivalry more palpable than at Angela Swindell and John Hassell’s Iron Bowl-themed wedding at Cottondale Community Church. The small church was definitely a house divided. Auburn and Alabama memorabilia served as table centerpieces, a tiger and elephant sat atop the white wedding cake and guests were asked to wear their favorite team’s jersey. The bride wore her “Roll Tide” T-shirt while the groom donned his favorite Auburn Tigers shirt. Hassell said they jumped at the opportunity to have a low-key wedding where everyone could watch the Iron Bowl at the reception.“This will be our first Alabama/Auburn game together, but I’m already deaf in one ear from the other games we have been watching,” he said. “She yells at the television.”“We wanted it to feel like a big tailgate,” Swindell said. “All the kids are going to sit in a student section on stage so they can cheer, scream and wave their pompoms.”The couple, who met at their church’s bake sale last year, had just three months to put together the wedding, but their meticulous attention to detail was evident. “Yea, Alabama” replaced the traditional bridal march, the reverend wore a referee’s uniform, and the bride and groom tossed a coin to decide who would recite the vows first. The groom seems to have been right when he said they’d probably disagree more “about first downs and that number 14 you keep talking about.”